


Do I wanna know?

by Ojiejojie



Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam and Ronan fight but still love each other, Adam's third job is sex work, Angst with a Happy Ending, Jealous Ronan, M/M, Oral Sex, Will probably/definitely get mature later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-10 14:15:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6988303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ojiejojie/pseuds/Ojiejojie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'Have you got colour in your cheeks?<br/>Do you ever get that fear that you can't shift<br/>The type that sticks around like something in your teeth?<br/>Are there some aces up your sleeve?<br/>Have you no idea that you're in deep?<br/>I dreamt about you nearly every night this week<br/>How many secrets can you keep?<br/>'Cause there's this tune I found that makes me think of you somehow and I play it on repeat<br/>Until I fall asleep<br/>Spilling drinks on my settee'</p><p>Or the one where Adam's third job is as a sex worker</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: The following is not fluff. I enjoy exploring the aspect of Ronan and Adam’s relationship where they used to just tear each other apart and fight all the time as friends  
> Also I started trying to write this in a similar style to the book but then thought eh it’s never going to be that good so might as well just do what comes naturally and tell the story in the best way I can.  
> I hope you enjoy :)  
> There will be Ronan and Adam loving it up later on don't worry  
> Feel free to leave comments or suggestions or prompts :)

The Henrietta sun was slowly making its way to bed, even as the town’s population were readying themselves for a night out. Even one Adam Parrish. His tiny room above St. Agnes was, as Ronan described, a shit hole, but even shit holes needed money to keep them from becoming even more unliveable. Adam’s second-hand fridge was leaking slowly on to his scuffed floorboards and no matter how many times he fixed it, swore at it or kicked it, it refused to keep anything remotely cold for him. Having to live on warm unperishable pantry food would have been bearable by itself, Adam hadn’t been brought up a fussy eater of course, but his Aglionby swearer had a hole in it.

Over the years Adam had become an expert of hiding regular wear and tear, a stray piece of cotton tucked under his arm or a small scuff painstakingly scrubbed clean in his bathroom sink, but this hole was caused by Ronan Lynch. Anyone who knew Ronan Lynch knew he didn’t do anything that wasn’t large, terrifying and devastating. These were the exact words Adam would use to describe the gaping hole now decorating the front of his Algionby sweater. Of course Ronan had offered to buy Adam a new one, to which Adam had politely declined.

_“Oh shit!” Ronan sniggered after helping Adam up from the ground. “They’re definitely going to take that scholarship from you now.” Adam looked down at his uniform and breathed out deeply, eyes closed to the sight. It was either breathe or hit Ronan and he didn’t fancy seeing the end of that fight._

_“Don’t have a tiss man, I’ll get you another.” Ronan attempted to slip out casually. He was already on his way to the BMW, not sparing a glance at Adam behind him. Adam knew he was trying for indifference. Or maybe he really was indifferent. It was hard to tell with Ronan._

_“No. It’s fine. I can get another.” Adam took one more look at his jumper before climbing in to the BMW himself. The poor piece of clothing had probably seen many lifetimes at Aglionby on the chest of some 38 sized boy. Adam felt a small pang of regret that he had been the jumper’s downfall but he wasn’t surprised._

_“Do you like looking like shit? Where are you going to get another second hand jumper at this time of year?” Ronan had spat, speeding out of the car lot effortlessly. This was the only clue Adam had that Ronan cared at all about his role in the making of the hole._

_“It’s not your problem.” Adam simply replied, reaching to change the station from Ronan’s booming electronica to something more palatable. Ronan’s hand was quick in swatting Adam away, their fingers brushing for the briefest of moments. Adam had felt Ronan’s short fingernails against the knuckles of his hand._

_“You’re right, it’s not.” Ronan sped up._

Also Adam’s rent was due on Monday. It was now Friday. Adam found himself leaving his pitiful home and the cause of all his troubles as soon as the pavement had stopped burning from the day’s unforgivable sun. Adam wanted many things but the thing he wanted the most was not to have to work three jobs to survive. He thought that was a reasonable desire. Everything in his life revolved around work. Work at school. Come home and work at study. Then go to his first job before heading to his second job. Sleep, rinse and repeat. He wanted time for leisure, simple no purpose leisure. But he knew in his particular line of living that this wasn’t possible. How he envied his friends and their simple ability to live. He doesn’t think Gansey had ever had to worry about where his next meal was going to come from. Even if Gansey didn’t have a cent to his name, though Adam couldn’t imagine a world where he didn’t, he was the kind of man who could materialise his wants and needs without effort.  
Adam wanted to sleep but he needed to work. This was where he was driving to now, in the Hondayota that sounded dangerously close to a break down. Come on don’t do this to me now, Adam thought. He drove in to DC where the lights were bright enough that they blocked out the stars. The night was only just waking up. There were no men sloppy with drink trying to get from one club to the other yet and Women were still wearing their work clothes. Maybe he’d come out too early? Even with the ominous clunking sounding with each turn of the wheel Adam managed to make it to his third job.

He stood on the rapidly cooling brick wall of a dimly lit alleyway. He could only just be seen from the street. He knew because he had tested multiple spots before he decided on one where he wouldn’t be too inconspicuous but also where the jut of his smooth collar bones and the pink of his lips could be caught by the hazy glow of a nearby street lamp. All he had to do was wait now, which wasn’t entirely the worst part of the job.

“Uh, hey.” A man approached Adam from the street, his hands in his pockets and a hunch to his shoulders that suggested he hadn’t done this before. On second appraisal under better light Adam could tell it was a boy, probably around his age, with honey blonde hair and a nervous smile. Adam compels himself to return a slow Henrietta smile in return.

“Hey there.” He continues leaning on the wall. Adam had found that most men liked it if you at least pretended like you knew what you were doing. Though sometimes he had no idea what he was even doing there.

“Uhm..are you?- I mean how much would it be to…” The boy stammers and Adam almost feels sorry for him. He almost feels sorry for him until he sees the Porsche the boy had left carelessly parked on the street.

“It’s fifty dollars.” He holds out his hand in invitation wondering if this guy was going to bolt in the other direction before either of them can get what they want. But the boy only hesitates a little before taking his hand. Adam notices that his hand is soft and warm as most rich boy hands were and they were close enough now that he could see the boy’s green eyes looking shyly back at him. He begins to pull him carefully further in to the alley, where Adam can hopefully quickly earn his money out of sight of any curious passer-by’s.

What does Adam want? To not have to suck dick for money.


	2. Chapter 2

As Monday came around so did a new school week. Though Adam didn’t feel princely in any regard, they entered the school yard in a royal procession. Gansey at the head of course as they passed through the Aglionby gates, giving the regal wave at the peasants that they passed on their way to first period.  
  


"Hey Gansey-boy!"  
  


"Hey Malcolm my lad. I'm counting on your A-game at lacrosse later!"  
  


Except that they weren’t peasants, Adam thought, they were princes as well. Adam dragged his feet behind Ronan and Gansey, exhaustion making every step a deliberate process. His weekend had been long and without a day of rest. He felt like his entire life was playing catch up. He missed school because of sleep. And he missed sleep because of work. And he missed work because of study to catch up on the school he was missing out on.  
  


The only books he read were the ones assigned for class and the only time he remembered to eat was when Ronan brought pizza over to St. Agnes.  
  


Ahead of him Ronan said something in a mutter that made Gansey burst suddenly with laughter, like a ray of sunshine bursting from behind a cloud. Before he knew them as his friends, this small exchange would have been enough to set Adam on edge. During those times it didn’t take much to put Adam on edge; a hand on his shoulder, a nearby laugh, or even a sideways glance would be enough to make him hunch his shoulders in expected defence. Now he knew Gansey would never respond to Ronan’s mocking of another student, even if the jokes sometimes coaxed a smile out of Adam himself.   
  


Ronan was striding along next to Gansey, the long confident steps seemed to come naturally to him and emphasised his long straight back, defined muscles seen even through the uniform sweater. Adam wished he could match his steps to his, instead of the awkward slow shuffle made to look even more ungainly behind his Aglionby King and knight.  
  


"Parrish! For god's sake pick up your feet. I don't want to suffer alone here with Gansey's terrible stories." Ronan shouted over his shoulder as Gansey gave him a good natured shove. The sound of Ronan barking orders at him is enough to make Adam clench his teeth in irritation. And to make his heart race in something that wasn’t quite irritation. Adam picked up his pace, coming in just behind the other two boys.  
  


"Lynch, why don't you-" Adam was cut short by an unsure voice from somewhere close behind him.  
  


"Oh it's you?" Adam turned towards the sound and stopped short. This was the exact moment Adam sought to avoid by travelling to DC for work. It was the blonde, green eyed boy from Friday night. He felt all the colour drain from his face and he hoped it wasn't visible to his friends. He didn't speak. He simply stepped forward and took the boy's arm as Ronan and Gansey turned to watch in casual interest. Adam pulled the boy a safe distance away and from the corner of his eye he could see their interest increase exponentially.  
  


"I won't say anything!" The boy started before he had a chance to open his mouth.  
  


"Good." Adam grunted in reply. The colour was returning to his face in what he could tell was a very telling hue. It wasn't that he was especially embarrassed by what he did on Friday nights. It was just that it was a very different situation in the bright morning light with students bustling around them and his friends very immediately close by.  
  


“I mean; my reputation is on the line too you know…” The boy dropped his voice to a whisper, looking around him nervously. He looked quite smart in his Aglionby uniform, his tie was in a perfect knot and his pants were neatly pressed in the exact way they were supposed to be. Adam thought he must have been read the ‘The Aglionby uniform: how to guide’ as a bed time story.  He wasn’t bad looking per se. But he just had something about him that screamed mild, like nothing significant could happen while this boy was in the area. Adam felt a bit comforted.  
  


Adam dredged up the self-assured confidence he usually reserved for Friday nights and let the beginnings of a smile play on his face. He could almost hear Ronan and Gansey fainting in the background.  
  


"What's your name by the way?" He drawled. The boy flushed, pink lighting the peaks of his pristine cheeks.  
  


"Thomas." He stuttered.  
  


"Ok Thomas, we're not going to interact with each other at school after this conversation alright?" Thomas nodded shyly, noticeably embarrassed that he had approached Adam during the daytime. Adam nodded once in his special way that meant the conversation was over and turned to make his way back to his friends.

They were already slightly late and he didn't want to spend any more time dawdling with boys that weren’t currently paying to spend time with him. He was surprised that Gansey and Ronan had waited for him. He knew Ronan would use any excuse to miss class but he usually followed Gansey and Gansey liked to walk in to class arm in arm with the teacher. He had only just made it back to his friends who were almost twitching with curiosity when the boy called out again.  
  


"Friday night again?" Adam almost cursed aloud in a very Ronan-like fashion. Why did he have to be friendly to the guy, why hadn't he threatened him or told him that he could never see him again outside of school. He stalled. He thought of how nice it would be to have another extra fifty dollars and just as soon hated himself for it.  
  


"Yes." was all he replied before he pushed his way through his friends, suddenly in a rush to get to first period, without remembering what first period was. He almost missed the way his shoulder brushed harshly against Ronan's for a mere second, neither boy moving for the other. He wondered what Ronan had thought of Adam's morning spectacle. He didn't take long to wonder as both Gansey and Ronan were trotting up after him. He didn't slow his pace or look behind. If he looked guilty and suspicious it was because he felt that way and he didn’t know how to act otherwise.  
  


"What the fuck Parrish." He said it as a statement rather than a question. Ronan's words came out dim and didn't have the bite to them that they usually held this early on a school morning. Adam looked at him sharply but Ronan was looking back at the other boy's retreating form.  
  


"Honestly Adam, I usually wouldn't agree with Ronan's choice of words but...."  
  


"He's just a friend." Ronan and Gansey exchanged a glance that told Adam exactly what they were thinking.  
  


"You don't have friends." Ronan snorted and tugged at the leather bands at his wrist, avoiding eye contact in a way that was particularly Ronan in its aggressiveness. Gansey scowled, deliberately making the effort to catch Ronan’s eye and show him the scowl.  
  


"Except for us of course." Gansey turned a smile to Adam, a belated and ordinarily inadequate Band-Aid to Ronan's words but Adam hadn't even felt them. "Is he from the trailer park too?" Adam knew that Gansey knew this was a ridiculous question. You could pretty much smell the money on the kid.  
  


“I tutor him.” Adam kept the lie simple. He didn’t like lying to his friends but unlike Ronan he didn’t abhor it. The truth was unknowable. He could see the disbelief coming to life on Gansey’s face so he continued, “It’s my third job. I tutor him in math.” He didn’t look to see if Ronan believed him. His particular fixation with the truth meant he could smell a lie a mile away. He just hoped Ronan wouldn’t care enough to dig any deeper.  
  


“What’s his name?” both Gansey and Adam turned to look at Ronan. The early morning sun struck him from behind, illuminating his piercing blue eyes and harsh features. His threat looked otherworldly this morning like an unforgiving deity made to go to school but his malice was nowhere to be seen. Adam wondered where Ronan’s venom had gone and if it would come back with twice the deadliness when it struck next. He had to keep an eye on these things as he was the one who was generally on the receiving end of Ronan’s poisonous self-destruction. Could it be called self-destruction if you only really hurt other people?  
  


“Thomas.” Adam was thankful that he had asked the boy’s name just before and had actually paid attention to remember it.  
  


“Well I hope he’s paying you well. He looks as stupid as he is rich.” There was the venom, never gone long enough for Adam to miss it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so many things to say but not it's almost 3am and my boyfriend is yelling at me to come to bed so...enjoy? I will try say things at beginning of the next chapter

Ronan could feel a warm breeze drift along the planes of his recently shaved head and he let out a long, loud groan. He looked around the clearing suspiciously but the ancient trees just murmured peacefully and the sunlight continued to shine uninterrupted through the branches. There was no one else around. Ronan let himself relax and stretch out fully on his back, not having any urgent desire to do anything in particular.

“I would kiss before I spoke.” A warm voice familiar in its playfulness alerted him to a presence at the edge of the clearing.

“What a man are you?  What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night, so stumblest on my counsel?” he replied lazily without looking up from his place on the sun warmed grass.

“Why, how now, monsieur? What a life is this that your poor friends must woo your company? What, you look merrily.” Adam came to stand over his head, looking down at the smile beginning to play on Ronan’s lips.

“Come, come, do you think I do not know you by your excellent wit? Can virtue hide itself?” A full smile was now dangerously close to breaking out.

“Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” Adam lowered himself to sitting cross legged next to Ronan in a way that made him look more youthful and peaceful than Ronan had ever seen him. Ronan didn’t have to think too long about what to say next. 

 “I am mad, or else this is a dream. Let fancy still my sense in Lethe steep. If it be thus to dream, still let me sleep.”

 “If this be magic, let it be an art. Lawful as eating.” Adam brought one beautiful hand up to brush his fingers along Ronan’s jaw. “Thy thoughts I cleave to. What’s thy pleasure?”  He murmured and Ronan’s breath stuttered.

 “Let lips do what hands do.” He whispered, grabbing Adam’s hand and bringing it carefully to his lips for small kisses along each knuckle.

“You are keen, my lord, you are keen.” Adam breathed, eyes dark and quick as they roamed Ronan’s face. Ronan didn’t know what Adam looked like when he was like this in real life, but if he was half the way Ronan’s mind conjured him then he would die a happy man if he ever got to glimpse it.

“It would cost you a groaning to take off mine edge.” He bit gently on a finger drawing the promised groan quickly.

“Draw thy tool.” Adam responds huskily.

“My naked weapon is out.” Ronan winks and they both dissolve in to laughter. He knows this Adam is a dream because he smiles at Ronan so fully and easily that it makes Ronan’s heart wrench. Ronan dreamt in Latin and now it seemed in Shakespearean too. He wasn’t pleased to see how big of an effect their literature classes were having on him. He hoped no one found out how big of a nerd he really was. They sit quietly together for a while, peacefully enjoying the dream forest. Ronan is free to watch Adam openly as he closes his eyes and enjoys the sunshine on his face.

“Why are you happy in my dreams?”

“Because you make me happy.” Adam said matter of fact. Ronan knew this could be taken in two ways but he decided to leave it ambiguous for his own sake.

“Well I’m glad it’s you and not the one who hates me.”

“We’re one and the same.” Adam’s face transformed swiftly in to the cold, disinterested mask that usually plagued Ronan’s dreams.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You tell me. It’s your dream.” Adam laughed suddenly happy again. He climbed on to Ronan’s lap, the place where each thigh touched filled Ronan with sparks. The kiss Adam gives him is slow and lingering but it makes Ronan hot all the same, letting out sighs and soft moans as the kiss deepens. Adam is irresistible and overwhelming but Ronan knows it needs to stop now before it can go further. For some absurd reason he refuses to get to second base with an Adam that was only in his head. For a boy who can bring his dreams to life, wet dreams could be very dangerous.

It physically pained Ronan to push Adam off of his lap, something burning hot and low in his stomach.

“At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer what I desire to give, and much less take what I shall die to want.” The light in the forest got darker and he heard the beating of wings overhead. “You need to leave.”

“O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?” Adam’s words failed to coax a smile from Ronan as he searched the sky for the oncoming beats. “I could protect you from them you know.” Ronan turned back to look at Adam’s face. It was severe in the gathering dusk.

“You need to go now.”

"How about I go with you?" Adam smiled shyly at him and ran an absent hand through the grass.

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say Parrish." Adam laughed low and sweet, distinctly opposite to the sound of his night horrors in the distance. Ronan never wanted it to stop. He wondered what he could say when he was awake to make Adam laugh like that.

"You can't call me Parrish, we were just making out!"  Ronan looked at Adam and wanted to pull him in to his lap again. He was flushed and gorgeous in the fading light of the forest. He could still hear the sounds of his nightmares but they didn't seem to be getting any closer.

 “Soft, I will go along; And if you leave me so, you do me wrong.” Already Adam’s voice sounded far-away.

“Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy center out.” Ronan mumbled half-conscious before being pulled forcibly from his dream forest. Waking up was brutal, even more so waking up after dreaming of Adam.  He wasn’t trapped in sticky sheets which meant he hadn’t brought anything back with him. He thought of Dream-Adam’s request and suffocated it just as quickly.

He paced his room, trying desperately to burn off his pent up energy. He knew it was a bad idea to go to Adam’s. He knew it was a bad idea but he was already grabbing his coat and scrambling for his keys.

 

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Adam awoke to an urgent knocking at his door. He looked groggily at the clock beside his bed, noting sadly that it was only an hour until his alarm would go off. He knew that whoever it was, was impatient but not frantic. The knocking was luckily not continuous but by the time he had regretfully gotten out of bed it had started up again. He hoped that it was something important but then he instantly took it back. Important usually meant not good in his experience.  

He tugged the knob to his front door twice but in his sleep addled way he twisted too hard, and the door jammed like it always did. Adam sighed like he always did. He rattled it about until it opened to reveal an unusually un put-together Gansey in his button up pyjamas. The pyjamas were a bright blue and pristine, and confused Adam more than anything that he had woken up to. All he could think to say was,

“It feels a little naughty to see you so undressed.”

“Huh?” confusion momentarily lit Gansey’s face before he looked down at the pyjamas Adam was staring at. “Oh, yeah. Sorry…. Ronan is missing.”

Adam sighs out the anxious breath he had been holding since he first heard the knock. “Is that all?”

“He just left some time in the middle of the night.” Gansey indicates in to the apartment with his head and Adam moves to let him pass. Gansey sits on his unmade bed like it is the head chair at a business meeting. Adam just stands with his arms crossed staring at him. He refuses to feel awkward in his own apartment.  

“Gansey this isn’t really new Ronan behaviour. He’s probably off drinking his demons in to submission.” Gansey gives him a pointed look that Adam is just tired enough to give back.

“If you haven’t noticed this is not really ‘new’ me behaviour either. I prefer Ronan sober, with or without his demons. You can come help me find him or I’ll apologise for disturbing you and see you tomorrow in class.” He stands and looks at Adam expectantly, in a way that seems like he knows what Adam will do before Adam does. Adam breathes his third sigh and goes to grab his coat.

“Ok fine, but I’m not being nice to him when we find him.” Gansey’s smile is soft and appreciative. He knows what he does to other people for Ronan Lynch’s sake but he can’t quite find it in himself to be very sorry about it. “And I’m not cleaning up any vomit he may be laying in!” Gansey’s laugh is just as soft and he places a firm warm hand on Adam’s shoulder as they head out. It’s the only thanks Adam will get tonight but he’ll take it willingly.

 

They find Ronan in the Church. Gansey had checked there fleetingly when he had arrived but did not count on Ronan being tucked securely under a shadowy pew and he thought that Ronan would at least have tried to respond to Gansey calling his name repeatedly. He throws a quick apologetic look Adam’s way. Adam is just glad that he’s not too far from his bed.

They look down at what looks like Ronan’s inebriated, passed out body but what could also pass for a homeless person taking refuge in the church’s shelter. Adam wonders if any nuns had ever found Ronan like this. He kicks him in the ribs, not gently. Gansey scowls at him but doesn’t say anything as Ronan opens his bloodshot eyes to stare up at them.

“Weeellll look, if it isn’t my parents.” Gansey puts on his special ‘Ronan’ frown and Adam let’s his own frustration deepen the lines on his face. He didn’t have his own ‘Ronan’ glare yet but he could see one developing in the near future. Gansey and Ronan knew how much sleep meant to Adam so he had expected Ronan to have at least been dead for them to rouse him from his bed.

“Wait no that’s weird…you guys would be a terrible married…people.” Ronan chuckles while trying to sit up but it turns in to a long, drawn out agonised groan. He had one fist closed tight around itself and the other closed tight around a bottle of indistinguishable liquid.

“I hope you feel terrible.” Gansey says but he grabs a hold of Ronan’s arm to help into something resembling a sitting position. “No bird this time?”

“Naaah…but there should be a…tiger... around here somewhere.” He drawls, words catching every now and then while his drunk tongue tries to keep up with drunk thoughts. Adam could curse himself for the way he glances around the church, eyes wide. Ronan burst in to vicious laughter. Adam flushes but couldn’t feel too bad about his reaction, knowing his friends there could be Glendower himself hiding around the corner.

The dusky light of early morning seemed to illuminate everything in the church in strange and beautiful ways. If you looked at it in the right way, or perhaps the wrong way at the right time, then you could swear that this Church was centuries old, pews worn down by the warm weight of a thousand sinful bodies. Adam could never understand religion but this morning he found that the most unfathomable thing present was Ronan’s sharp, elegant grin. Ronan could be close to death and still be able to perfect that grin. He stared at the way that any available light seemed to be absorbed by the shadow of Ronan’s outline, leaving him a pale and glowing figure, no more out of place here then the cross at the altar. Adam could safely say that he knew which bible story was Ronan’s favourite. Ronan opened his fist suddenly as if sensing Adam’s thoughts.

“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” A tiny bulb of said light floated away from Ronan’s palm in to the darkness, unaware of the three boys staring in its wake. It seemed to dance through the air to an unheard music, and moved with determination as if it sought out other glowing friends. Gansey shook his head as if to himself.

“I’m not going to be able to get him back to Monmouth tonight. Can he stay here with you?” Gansey turns hopeful eyes to Adam, knowing his request is too much after the many annoyances they had woken Adam up with already. Adam bites back any of the multiple irritated remarks he could make, too early for fights and merely nods his head. It was officially a Sunday but Adam had picked up a shift at the factory. He would need to be there in 3 hours, which meant leaving a very drunk Ronan in his apartment.

“Ronan can you walk?” He asked. He could smell whatever Ronan had been drinking from here and it reminded him of home in some sick miserable way.

“Does…does it look like I can?” Ronan managed to hold on to all his bite even when he was too drunk to form coherent sentences together.

“Well…can you crawl?”

“Adam!” Gansey chides but Adam is already making his way for the Church exit. If a drunk Ronan was going to be staying at his place there was no way that he was going to have a part in helping him there.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm Australian so I'm not quite sure what painkillers people use in America...do you guys have panadol? haha oh well I thought aspirin was a safe bet
> 
> Enjoy! :)

Adam’s alarm rang loudly at 5am on the dot, with no pity for his late night or his very hungover overnight guest. The only joy Adam managed to scrounge from the situation was hearing Ronan’s low, pathetic moan.  He waited a little longer than he needed to to turn off his alarm and he rose slowly to his feet, narrowly avoiding stepping on the Ronan shaped lump on his floor.

“You are the worst Parrish.” Ronan managed to mumble out through the arm slung over his face.

“This isn’t a hotel Lynch. Next time you get trashed you can sleep in a gutter for all I care.” The only other response from Ronan was a short grunt before the well renowned Lynch snoring started back up.

Luckily Adam was used to early starts and late nights so it didn’t take too long for his brain to kick start in to gear or his body to start listening to his simple morning instructions as he lumbered around the apartment. He was able to eat a meager breakfast, which was just barely clinging to the label ‘healthy’, shower, dress and tidy up around the almost lifeless body in the middle of his room in under 15 minutes.

Adam finished his morning routine with 5 minutes to spare so he allowed himself the luxury of a strong coffee and some confidential time to stare at his sleeping friend. Adam noticed Ronan usually slept on his stomach with his head squashed so hard in to Adam’s spare pillow that sometimes Adam was afraid he would suffocate himself accidentally in the night. 

It wasn’t actually Adam’s pillow but a pillow Ronan had deemed to leave at his place with only a gruff, ‘Your floor is hard as fuck’, when Adam had raised an eyebrow. Adam didn’t think it was necessary to note that there was nothing stopping Ronan from sleeping in his own expensive bed at Monmouth but he thought it nevertheless.  

This morning Ronan was sleeping on his back with a heavy arm pressed over his eyes in an attempt to block out the weak light flickering from Adam’s apartment lights. His mouth was wide open and slack in order to emit the ground shaking snores currently filling the room. This was Ronan’s usual hangover sleeping position, which allowed him to keep his mouth free for vacating his stomach contents later on and the easy ability to start wildly slinging his arm around in the vain search for sustenance.

Adam drained the last dregs of his half a cup of coffee and smiled privately to himself while he finished his last minute tasks around the place. He couldn’t believe the shit he let Ronan get away with. He could grumble and protest all he wanted and yet he always found himself back here cleaning up his friend’s messes.

No matter which way he seemed to turn away from his friend’s they always managed to follow him and stubbornly wait for him to come back to their side. He didn’t even find himself angry for long. His and Ronan’s fights were like shooting stars. Hot, intense and more common than you’d think. But if you blinked you’d miss them.

Adam gave Ronan one last look before leaving for work. Maybe they could hang out later he thought. Probably not or too long though as he has planned to meet up with a client that night. He didn’t usually work Sunday nights but Adam was never one to turn down money. Money he could work for anyway, even if that work was just slightly illegal.

 

* * *

 

 

Ronan woke some time later to find himself alone, dehydrated and sorely in need of a piss. He was both glad and disappointed to be alone in Adam’s apartment. He was disappointed because he didn’t have the chance to smooth over Adam’s frustration with him from last night. This wasn’t usually a drawn out affair. Ronan usually allowed a simple, ‘You right Parrish?’, do its magic and took Adam’s resigned grunt as his forgiveness.

He was glad because it meant that Adam didn’t see him in the sorry morning state that an almost full bottle of whiskey left him in. It wouldn’t have been the first time Adam had seen the result of his late night drinking binges but Ronan liked to think that the less exposure he subjected him to, the better. 

He stretched out his cramped muscles and groaned indulgently in pleasure. He had to buy himself a mattress for Adam’s floor, he thought. Finding a way to get it past Adam’s pride would be a whole ordeal in itself but Ronan had found that he was good at getting his way with Adam.

He went to heave himself off the floor, when the very obvious situation in his pants was brought to his attention. He was suddenly more glad than disappointed that Adam wasn’t around. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had morning wood around Adam before, as was unavoidable with all male friends, but after his most current dream he wanted to keep any association of Adam and erections buried very far in the back of his mind. He had resigned himself to the fact that he couldn’t get rid of the idea all together but he could bury it. His burying methods usually included alcohol, fast driving, and furiously jacking it to porn stars who looked absolutely nothing like Adam Parrish.

He had two options now, he could have a very cold shower and think of the Latin homework waiting him back at Monmouth manufacturing or he could touch himself. Touch himself while in Adam’s apartment. Touch himself while in Adam’s apartment, laying on Adam’s floor and surrounded by Adam’s things.

He was just about the make a very bad decision when his phone went off next to his head. He brought his hand reluctantly back out of his pants, where it had surely snuck to on its own volition and picked up the dreadful device that Gansey forced him to carry. There was a single text message that made Ronan’s jaw clench in anticipated irritation.

_Fuckwad: Where are you!?_

The name itself was enough to extinguish his budding arousal very quickly. Declan’s text message also served to remind Ronan what day it currently was and how very late Ronan seemed to be for Church.

He swore out loud but inwardly thanked his God that had somehow made his stubborn friend concede to let Ronan secure him a place above St Agnes church. He would be late but not as late as he could have been. He would also smell like whiskey, be wearing some dirty but fashionably ripped jeans and have a couple days’ worth of stubble but at least that would serve to make Declan angry. A chance to play at his favorite past time was what finally motivated Ronan to get up and moving, and he almost stepped on the little spread that had been laid out next to him in his sleep.

At his feet was half a cup of cold coffee, one lone aspirin and a sad looking piece of toast. It wouldn’t have looked like much to anyone else but Ronan could only stop grinning while he shoved Adam’s small offerings in to his mouth.  

 

* * *

 

 

"Stop it!" Ronan glanced up at Noah in barely contained surprise. It was later that day, a rare Sunday afternoon before a new school week where they didn't have anything better to do. As usual Glendower hadn’t miraculously presented himself to them so they were instead playing a very drawn out game of pool. Well Adam, Ronan and Noah were playing pool, Gansey was out having a drive or something. He wasn't very clear with what he was doing when he had muttered absently, deep in thought, to Ronan while he was already halfway out the door.

Adam and Ronan exchanged a knowing glance and decided to ignore their sometimes unpredictable ghost friend in favor of beating him savagely at pool. Adam bent over the pool table to take his turn and Ronan’s began to wander just as his eyes did.

“Seriously, it’s gross!” Adam just frowned and passed the pool cue to Ronan for his turn.

“Stop thinking what you’re thinking!” This outburst was enough to make Ronan miss his shot and he cursed viciously.

Unfortunately, Ronan had been thinking in vivid detail about the dream he had last night. However, before he could open his mouth and tell Noah exactly what he could do with his freaky ghost abilities, Adam spoke up.

"Er...which one of us?" Ronan glanced at him. He had assumed Noah was talking about him.

"Both of you! You're both disrupting my concentration." Ronan didn't know what to say that wouldn’t completely give him away so he decided to change the topic before Noah could describe exactly how they were being distracting.

"Well we wouldn’t want that. You need as much as you can if you’re going to have any chance of winning against me."

“ _You think that none but your sheets are privy to your wishes_.” Noah recited solemnly before lining up another shot that was destined to fail.

“Where’s that from? It sounds familiar” Adam asked as he took the pool cue from Noah. Noah looked at Ronan expectantly. Ronan scowled deeply which only served to make Noah stare back harder in barely contained glee. The silence had grown almost suspiciously long so he reluctantly folded to Noah’s scarcely subtle bait.

“Antony and Cleopatra.” He replied carefully, eyeing Noah narrowly in return.

“I love Shakespeare.” Noah grinned at Ronan as he threw a pool cue through the Ghost boy, just missing a very confused Adam.

 

* * *

 

 

It was cold but Adam waited, leaning against the rough bricks of the alleyway. His client was late as usual and Adam swore to himself again that he had to stop getting himself regulars. You could try to rely on regulars but they would never be reliable, it wasn’t in their nature.

Sunday nights were usually quite so Adam only ever went out if he had someone specifically booked. This particular regular preferred to meet early on a Sunday night. Adam assumed he wanted to work off anxiety over the school week ahead of them with time left over to do his homework.

His client finally made his way up the foot path over to Adam, green eyes down in quiet embarrassment. He usually avoided looking anywhere but the ground until he was right in front of Adam. Adam wasn’t quite sure how he even made it to his particular alley without incident but he was impressed all the same.

His day with Noah and Ronan had put him in a good mood so his smile for the boy was almost genuine. Thomas finally met his eyes and returned a shy smile in return.

They had started out on Friday nights during Adam’s regular hours but they had moved to meeting privately Sunday nights, a decision Adam wasn’t quite sure was smart yet but the regular flow of money made him less likely to pick at the choice.

He hadn’t quite gotten used to their little routine of client and escort at night, and platonic school acquaintances during the day, but he certainly accepted the roles a lot easier than Thomas did. The poor boy didn’t quite understand the significant part money had in their relationship but Adam tried to repeatedly press the fact, especially on days when he noticed the boy gazing at him intensely during classes.

“It’s fifty dollars for tonight, Thomas.” The use of his name made the other boy shiver and he nodded absently while he got the money out of his wallet. Adam readily pocketed the cash and only felt uncomfortable for second before he reminded himself that this was distinctly different than taking money from his friends and a whole lot more palatable. His clients didn’t own him during their encounters, and Adam always ensured each one was a transaction and nothing more.

If nothing else Adam Parrish could be known for working for his money.  

“Your place or mine baby?” he purred. This had become a kind of joke between the two. Thomas would never take Adam back to the house he shared with his very Catholic parents, two sets of grandparents and a judgmental and keen eyed aunt.  Money could only buy a house so large and it would never be big enough to hide any night time visitors Thomas wanted to bring over. In a similar sense Adam couldn’t take Thomas to his apartment above the Church even if he wanted to. For all Thomas knew, this alleyway was Adam’s home.

“I prefer yours.” Thomas linked his hand with Adam’s and pulled him in to the dark confines of the alleyway.

As soon as they were hidden by the shadow, Adam pushed the boy roughly against the wall and leaned in to press his lips to the exposed planes of his neck. Adam knew how Thomas liked it and he had wasted no time in memorizing all the ways to take him apart. It made his job a lot easier and faster.

However tonight Thomas had other ideas. Quicker than Adam could keep track of, Thomas changed their positions and used his entire body weight to press Adam in to the wall. Adam gasped at the sudden pressure and the cold feel of the bricks, which Thomas took to as pleasure because he was soon prodding messily at Adam’s open mouth with his tongue.

No matter how many times they met up, Thomas never seemed to improve on his kissing technique. It almost made Adam want to help him out but before he could open his mouth to instruct he remembered the boy was paying him to kiss however he wanted to kiss. Maybe this was how he enjoyed it.

The incessant poking of the tongue in his mouth and the over production of saliva was not enjoyable at all but Adam let out a low moan. Thomas groaned in response and moved his messy kisses to Adam’s neck. This was slightly more enjoyable for Adam, even if it only meant that he could breathe for a bit. He ran his hands up and down the boy’s sides, before grasping his shoulders in what he assumed Thomas took for pleasure. Thomas had begun sucking on his collarbone with increasing intensity and Adam’s grip tightened.

“Hey no marks.” He whispered, trying to move his neck out of reach before any damage could be done. Thomas only pressed in harder and tightened his mouth’s pressure with a single-minded intensity Adam had not thought him capable of. The spot was beginning to hurt quite badly so Adam knew a mark had already been made.

He used his grip on Thomas’ shoulders to push him back forcefully and the boy finally let go with an almost comical pop of his lips. Adam felt the spot with gentle fingers and found it tender to the touch. He scowled and looked at the other boy, who was flushed and panting heavily without remorse.

“What the hell was that? I said no marks.”

He looked around them when the boy didn’t respond and suddenly realized his mistake with startling clarity. Sunday night was the perfect night to meet for illegal activities because it meant no one around but it also meant that there was in fact no one around at all. He decided he didn’t want to cross any more of his boundaries tonight.

“I’m sorry but I think I need to go. Early start tomorrow and all that. Do you want your money back?” This seemed to bring Thomas back to the present and his eyes focused back on Adam’s.

“Oh…no you keep it. Consider it payment for the mark.” His shy smile was back but after his previous display Adam didn’t trust it one bit.

“Well…ok but next time I’d prefer if we kept it money and no mark.” He felt like he was letting him off too lightly but he hadn’t stepped a toe out of line up until this point. Adam had had worse customers. He said his goodbyes quickly and left for home.

If he looked behind him more than usual on his walk, he didn’t notice.     


End file.
